← New search

2026 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
Compare all Santa Fe Hybrid years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 0 of 11 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Forward Collision Avoidance. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Lane Departure. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

Forward Collision Avoidance complaints

4 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Aug 24, 2026
Back Over PreventionForward Collision AvoidanceService BrakesInjury

Please keep in mind that I am not a mechanic and only a consumer so my specific knowledge of vehicle systems is limited. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. On July 9, 2026 while reversing out of my sloped driveway my Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy Hybrid conducted a sudden, uncommanded emergency brake stop with…

Read full complaint

Please keep in mind that I am not a mechanic and only a consumer so my specific knowledge of vehicle systems is limited. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. On July 9, 2026 while reversing out of my sloped driveway my Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy Hybrid conducted a sudden, uncommanded emergency brake stop without warning or cause. This occurred one week prior as well on an unknown date. The system appears to misinterpret the angle of the incline and encroaching tall vegetation as a solid obstacle. This uncommanded malfunction caused a rapid deceleration that directly caused and exacerbated my post concussive syndrome, cervical strain, occipital neuralgia, hyperacusis, and noxacusis, requiring treatment at an Urgent Care clinic on Saturday July 11; the unresolved defect poses an immediate crash and bodily injury hazard. I am going to also need pain management therapies. I attended an appointment at the McGrath Hyundai of Cedar Rapids on Monday July 13 for assistance with this among other things that were occurring with my vehicle. I also have been reported experiencing an interconnected systemic electrical failure, including dashboard cluster loading lag, a complete failure of the Head-Up Display (HUD) to register speed limits, and intermittent green color distortion on the blind-spot turn signal camera display, which shares the camera network used by the reversing safety systems. These issues began around the same time as the sudden emergency braking. I am unsure if they are related however it would make sense. They did not fully conduct the tests necessary to locate the problem as a simple diagnostic scan will not do that. The sensor calibration might be off among other causes. The dealership did not look at the EDR to determine the history of this emergency stop occurring. I am currently working with a Hyundai Corporate investigator whom their team agreed for my vehicle to be inspected by a field engineer. I am currently awaiting their call.

NHTSA ODI #11759180

Mileage unknown · Aug 21, 2026
Forward Collision AvoidanceService Brakes

Driving through a green light going 45 mph and my car had an episode of “phantom braking” and decided to automatically brake out of NO WHERE. Slinging me forward and scaring me. No warning signs or chimes came on before, during or after the incident. It made no sense. I’m scared to drive this car with my baby in it now in the fe…

Read full complaint

Driving through a green light going 45 mph and my car had an episode of “phantom braking” and decided to automatically brake out of NO WHERE. Slinging me forward and scaring me. No warning signs or chimes came on before, during or after the incident. It made no sense. I’m scared to drive this car with my baby in it now in the fear of going the speed limit or driving on the freeway with it randomly auto braking out of no where and making me crash with my child in the car or something worse happening with my baby inside the vehicle. I’m very displeased and worried.

NHTSA ODI #11758488

Mileage unknown · Jun 12, 2026
EngineForward Collision AvoidanceVehicle Speed Control

The cruise control was set at 75 mph and we were driving down the interstate when the engine suddenly lost power and shut off. This happened with no warning and no warning lights activated. Several days later, we were driving down the interstate with the cruise control set at 72 when the engine again lost power and shut off. …

Read full complaint

The cruise control was set at 75 mph and we were driving down the interstate when the engine suddenly lost power and shut off. This happened with no warning and no warning lights activated. Several days later, we were driving down the interstate with the cruise control set at 72 when the engine again lost power and shut off. We were able to get the car to move again both times by shutting off the cruise control. No warning or warning lights activated either time the engine lost power. We were very lucky not to get hit by oncoming traffic both times the engine shut itself down.

NHTSA ODI #11743730

Mileage unknown · Jun 1, 2026
Forward Collision Avoidance

I was driving on the 202 at 80 MPH in the HOV lane and was engaging the cruise control. Pretty soon the car started beeping and it was saying something to the affect that I wasn't in control of the car. I started yelling and gently swerving not understanding what was going on to make it think I was indeed driving. It wouldnt'…

Read full complaint

I was driving on the 202 at 80 MPH in the HOV lane and was engaging the cruise control. Pretty soon the car started beeping and it was saying something to the affect that I wasn't in control of the car. I started yelling and gently swerving not understanding what was going on to make it think I was indeed driving. It wouldnt' stop. I was in high traffic bumper to bumper than the dashboard started blinking and throwing a fit then it said it was going to shutdown the car!!! I tapped the breaks and then it stopped. Then a few months later same thing. Engage the cruise driving on the 202 roughly the same time of day- high traffic, it started again this time I started cussing, waiving my hands all around trying to get the car to know I was driving. It started saying it was going in to emergency shut down. I accidently hit my prescription glasses off my face in a panic and then it all stopped. I went home and googled what happened not understanding what this Forward system does or what it looks at. I had no idea the car was looking for my eyes. If I had been told this we would not have purchased the car in the first place. I have to wear prescription transition lens because I have chronic migraine syndrome. Light is one of many causes of my headaches and I live in the sunniest place on earth. So, I can't have this car. It is dangerous safety defect because t is issuing a false eye not detected alerts while wearing my glasses eventually leading to shutting the vehicle off. This creates a severe hazard, as the system will deactivate cruise control or initiate a sudden breaking at high speeds causing a collision or even death. I can't even drive my own car.

NHTSA ODI #11741371

Official recalls

3

26V218000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage

Apr 6, 2026

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Hyundai Ioniq 6, 2023-2026 Genesis G90, 2024-2026 Hyundai Santa Fe, and Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid vehicles. The driver and passenger seat belt anchors may detach.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A detached seat belt anchor will not adequately restrain the seat occupant, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and reinforce or replace the seat belt anchors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning May 29, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460 and Genesis customer service at 844-340-9741. Hyundai's numbers for this recall are 298 and 032G. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov April 8, 2026.

26V047000 · Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/panel

Jan 26, 2026

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Tucson Hybrid, Tucson Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 IONIQ 5, Santa Cruz, Kona, Palisade, Palisade Hybrid, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Hybrid, Sonata, Sonata Hybrid, and Tucson vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 101, "Controls and Displays."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 24, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai's customer service at 855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 293. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 28, 2026.

25V809000 · Air Bags:side/window:curtain

Nov 20, 2025

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025 Tucson, 2025-2026 Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Hybrid, and 2026 Genesis GV70 vehicles. The side curtain air bags may not have been installed properly, which can cause the air bags not to deploy as intended.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Side curtain air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will reinstall the side curtain air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning December 29, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's numbers for this recall are 289 and 029G. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on November 22, 2025.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.